Temper screw



July 17, 1928.

L. M0 KILLOP 'TEMPER SCREW Filed April 15, 1927 In van tor flflop M Attorney:

Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TEMPER scnEw.

Application filed April 15, 1927, Serial No. 184,158, and in Great Britain April 19, 1926.

This invention relates to that part of the surface equipment of an oil well drilling outfit for example, commonly known as a temper screw, which is included in the connection between the power plant on the surface and the cable to which the drilling tools are attached when suspended in the well, the purpose of the temper screw being to allow for adjustment of the length of the cable as drilling proceeds. A

Ordinarily such screw is rotated to feed the line or cable from which theboring tools are suspended in the act of drilling, its non-- rotation when required being efiected by a device. usually termed a jockey stick.

The object of the present invention is to effect various improvements in the feeding means whereby primarily the temper screw does not require to be rotated, thus dispensing with the jockey stick.

Another feature consists in the provision of means whereby an axially applied pull to the screw in a direction the reverse to'that in which it is normally advanced will at any time enable the screw to be automatically disengaged from its feeding means and re-- tracted, the removal of the pull resulting in proper re-engagement for renewed advancement.

A still further feature consists in the em ployment of screw feeding means embodying a nut held against axial movement whilst the screw is being lowered and controlling means, movable with the screw, whereby the said nut can always be rotated from a conveniently accessible position.

These and other constructional features will be more readily ascertainable from the description now about to be given of one practical embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig.

1 is an elevation of the major part of ap paratus according to the invention prior to the commencement of feed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with a portion removed. Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan taken on the line 44 Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5, 5 Fig. 3 and Fig. 6 is a plan of a detail. I

As here shown, a device, similar to that usually employed, comprising a T head 7 and reins 8 is formed with a lower cylin drical' head 9 within which is arranged an internally tapered bowl 10, the said bowl resting upon a ball bearing 11 and having a tubular neck 12 protruding through the'head.

10 by which it can be turned. In the example this turning is shown as achieved by a pair of handles 13 screwed into a collar 14 adapted to be clamped to the neck 12 as by a set screw 15. Upward movement of,

caused to travel downwards with rotation of the bowl 10 and nut 16.16 is equipped at the top with a yoke 19, Fig. 6, having lugs 20 intended to cooperate with the reins 8 which thus constitute guides therefor the said yoke being immovably fixed to the screw. The lower end of the screw is shown i as equipped with the yoke 21 such as is customarily employed to support the line or cable to be fed.

The nut 16'16 is held in place in the bowl 10 by a spring 22, shown as acting through a ball bearing 23, 24 being the abutment for the spring 22. Fitted over the whole is a hollow member or'tube'25 slotted at 26 to enable, in the present case, the handles 13, or equivalent, to pass through, such member 25 having in turn handles 2 rotary motion that is imparted to the member 25 thereby, being transmitted to the bowl 10 and nut 1616. The member 25 is free to descend with the screw 18.

The arrangement is such that normally the nut 1616 is forced by the spring 22 into the bowl 10 so that if the latter be turned either by the handles 13 or by the handles 27 the nut is rotated which is can freely do by reason of the ball bearings 11 and 22,

the screw 18 being prevented from turning by the yoke 19. When the screw has reached the limit of its downward travel, or at any other desired'time, an upward pull applied 1 to the yoke 19 so as to lift the screw will cause the nut 16-16 to be sufficiently retracted against the action of the spring 22 to become released from the screw, which latter can then be freely returned to the initial position illustrated or to some other position. When the pull is removed, the screw and nut become automatically engaged again.

What I claim is 1. A device of the kind described, comprising a non-rotatable screw, suspension means therefor, means adapted to be rotated whereby the screw is moved axially, and means whereby a pull applied axially to the screw in one direction automatically produces disengagement between the screw and the rotatable means for moving the screw.

2. A device of the kind described, comprising a non-rotatable screw, suspension means therefor, means adapted to be rotated,

whereby 1 the screw is moved axially and means free to move axially with and in relation to the screw, adapted to enable the rotatable means to be rotated from different positions. y

3, A device of the kind described, comprising a suspension means embodying reins and a cylindrical head at the lower end of the reins, an internally tapered bowl mounted to rotate in said head, a nut loosely seated in butrotatable with said bowl, a screw passthrough the nut, a yoke at the upper i 'eifi of the screw engaging the reins to pre vent rotation of the screw, means attachedto'the bowl whereby it canbe rotated from one position and means movable in relation to the bowl whereby it can be rotated from difl'erent positions.

4. A device of the kind described, comprising a suspension means, an internally tapered bowl rotatably carried thereby, an axially divided nut loosely seated in but rotatable with said bowl and a non-rotatable but axially movable screw passing through said nut, a pull axially applied to the screw in one direction serving to automatically disengage the screw and nut, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the kind described, a tapered screw-engaging nut comprising two axially divided halves, a bowl internally tapered, a suspension means therefor, antifriction hearings in the suspension means upon which the bowl can rotate, and combined spring and anti-friction bearing means urging thenut halves into the bowl in order to rotate therewith.

6. In a device of the kind described, a tapered screwengaging nut comprising two axially divided halves, abowl internally tapered, a suspension means therefor, antifriction bearings in the suspension means upon which the bowl can rotate, combined spring and anti-friction bearing means urging the nut halves into the bowl in order to rotate therewith, and keys between the nut parts and bowl to prevent relative rotation therebetween.

Signed at London, England, this 30th day of March, 1927.

LAMBERT MGKILLOP. 

